Baltimore vs Hagerstown
Compare Baltimore, MD and Hagerstown, MD on cost, HUD rent, safety, climate, commute, schools, outdoor access, food, and source-labeled relocation data.
The verdict
Hagerstown is the cheaper metro on paper: ACS median rent runs $1,076/mo versus $1,489/mo in Baltimore — a gap of about $413/mo — and HUD 2-bedroom Fair Market Rents show $1,225/mo against $1,943/mo. Across the four public-data screens Baltimore comes out ahead (239 vs 217 summed points), though Hagerstown still wins specific categories below.
Their climates screen similarly — summer highs near 88°F and 83°F respectively. If lower housing cost leads your list, start with Hagerstown; if walkable daily life matters more, Baltimore screens stronger on the walkability proxy (31 vs 12). These are metro-level public-data screens — verify neighborhoods, school districts, commutes, and actual listings before deciding.
Category summary
Hagerstown leads 72 to 58 on the cost and climate screen.
Both cities are close on the work screen.
Baltimore leads 44 to 39 on the daily life screen.
Baltimore leads 70 to 38 on the community screen.
$85,000 in Baltimore is roughly $136,000 in Hagerstown using WhereToThrive's cost index and state-tax adjustment.
Category comparison
| Metric | Baltimore | Hagerstown | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACS median gross rent | $1,489/mo | $1,076/mo | Hagerstown |
| HUD 2BR FMR | $1,943/mo | $1,225/mo | Hagerstown |
| Median home value | $358,000 | $242,000 | Hagerstown |
| State income tax | 6.5% | 6.5% | Tie |
| Average commute | 32.9 min | 32.5 min | Hagerstown |
| Safety score | 63/100 | 51/100 | Baltimore |
| School score | 7/10 | 3/10 | Baltimore |
| Walkability estimate | 31/100 | 12/100 | Baltimore |
| Outdoor score | 6/10 | 6/10 | Tie |
| Restaurants per 100k | 177.7 | 150.1 | Baltimore |
| Mountain distance | 38 mi | 28 mi | Hagerstown |
| Coast distance | 3 mi | 58 mi | Baltimore |
What stands out
Baltimore stronger signals
- Public park/protected-area signal within 1 miles
- Ski location within 52 miles
- Named beach within 13 miles
- Coast access within 3 miles
Baltimore tradeoffs
- No major generic tradeoffs identified
Hagerstown stronger signals
- Public park/protected-area signal within 3 miles
- Ski location within 22 miles
- Coast access within 58 miles
- Mountain access within 28 miles
Hagerstown tradeoffs
- No major generic tradeoffs identified
Common questions
Is Baltimore cheaper than Hagerstown?
On public benchmarks Hagerstown is the cheaper metro: ACS median rent is $1,489/mo in Baltimore vs $1,076/mo in Hagerstown; HUD 2-bedroom Fair Market Rents are $1,943/mo vs $1,225/mo; state income tax is 6.5% vs 6.5%.
Is Baltimore or Hagerstown safer?
Baltimore screens safer at the metro level: safety scores are 63/100 for Baltimore and 51/100 for Hagerstown (FBI-reported metro rates; neighborhood variation is larger than metro averages).
Which is better for families, Baltimore or Hagerstown?
School screens show 7/10 for Baltimore vs 3/10 for Hagerstown, alongside the safety scores above. It is a metro-level screen; verify specific school districts before weighting it heavily.
How different is the climate between Baltimore and Hagerstown?
Baltimore: summer highs near 88°F, winter lows near 25°F, disaster-risk band 2/3. Hagerstown: 83°F / 22°F, disaster-risk band 2/3 (NOAA climate normals).
Keep researching
Score this comparison with your own constraints
Public comparison pages use equal-weighted signals. The questionnaire reweights cities around your housing budget, climate preferences, work needs, family needs, and daily-life priorities.
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